Hong Kong Expat Forum for Expats Living in Hong KongThe Hong Kong Expats forum is a community of people that have moved to Hong Kong from overseas. This is the place for Expats to meet and discuss anything about Hong Kong.

I am a Chinese-American who has lived on the west coast of the U.S. (Southern California, then Seattle) for the last 30 years, about to start a new business venture in Hong Kong so now making plans to get a home set up here (I would still keep my businesses in the U.S. so I will be back and forth). Even though I was born in HK and speak Cantonese, I have been very much assimilated in the U.S. culture so I now consider myself more American than Chinese (not necessarily proud of that fact… and yes, THAT is a political statement .

As an adult I now appreciates the convenience and synergy of the big city, but despite of that, it is difficult for me to imagine myself having a home in the middle of Causeway Bay or Hung Hom. I am now looking at DB (after I found out what “DB” stands for LOL) and I am liking what I see. Seems that it would be a nice middle-ground transition from the suburbia USA to the megapolitan. And maybe the best of both worlds - I can enjoy the vibrancy of HK and yet get some peace and quiet when I go “home” only 30 minutes away.

If I do this I would start with a lease/rental just to know the place and decide if I want to buy later. Oh, one other thing, I am done with the wife thing but I have a 14-year old boy who MAY decide to come back with me to continue his secondary education. So high school would be a consideration, whether he would go to the high school in DB or the HKIS in HK. He does speaks fluent French since we had enrolled him in a French-immersion school in Seattle since pre-K but he is only learning Mandarin and Cantonese now (I know I know, WHY French?? When he was young his mom and I thought it would be good for him to pick up another language, as he did. I am sure that would come in handy when he start wooing the girls… Oui je t'aimerai pour le reste de ma vie)

I am scanning the various forums and threads and reading about what everyone is saying about DB. What are some of YOUR thoughts and recommendations? I love the clean, orderly environment of DB, but is there a similar area I should check out perhaps on HK island or NT?

Hi there, DB (discovery bay) right ? yup there are numerous places similar to DB such as "Gold Coast", "Hong Lok Yuen" and there is this town called "Sai Kung" which is considered as the back garden of HK, many expats prefer to live there because of clean and quite environment, I'm sure you will find your desired place in HK because there are plenty of options available !!

there are numerous places similar to DB such as "Gold Coast", "Hong Lok Yuen" and there is this town called "Sai Kung" which is considered as the back garden of HK, many expats prefer to live there because of clean and quite environment, I'm sure you will find your desired place in HK because there are plenty of options available !!

I think what I am trying to avoid is the (almost) constant construction noise in the city. Where I am staying on MacDonnell Road (my bro's) is supposed to be an upscale neighborhood - damn we have a gated entry and like 2 to 3 conceige sitting behind a counter all day with nothing to do except to pick their noses and push the elevator buttons for residents - but comes 8 am, the jackhammering and the pile driving next door starts regardless. I am just thinking for me coming from a place (Seattle) where you come out of your house and sometimes wonder if everyone else's been killed, I would be better off having some peace and quiet when I go home. Then I would have best of both worlds - go into town to feel the energy, and escape at night by going home.

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